Trap



F. H. CRAGO. TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 5. 1919.

1,342,425, I Patented June 8,1920.

attozmuio U N IT 'rELIx'n. CRAGO, or H01- SPRINGS-MONTANA.

" TRAP.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FEL'IX H. C Aeo, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Hot Springs, in the county of Sanders and State of Montana, have invented a new and useful Trap, of which the following is a specification. j

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in traps, and more particularly to spring traps employed 1n catching animals. 5 Y

. The primary ,object ofthe invention isto provide a trap of this character which will be. capable of. catching. relatively large .ani-

mals, without the necessity of employing exceptionally large sprmgs for the operation of the catching elements, which would break, or otherwise tend to injure the anlmal being caught. 1 V v A .furtherobject ofmthe inventlonils to provide a device of this 1 character which will transfer the strain usually, directed to the springs of a. trap of'this character, to the securing meanswhich secures the trap to theiground surface, in the event that an animal caughtthereby endeavors to release himself; v

I With theforegoing and otherobjects in view which will appear. as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts'and in the details of construction hereinafter de scribed and claimed, itibeing understood that .changes in theprecise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made withinthe s'copeof what is claimed, without departing from the spiritof theinventlOIl. i I f j Referring to the drawing z Figure 1 illustrates a longitudinal sectional view through a trap constructed in accordance with the present invention.

bular member, open at both ends in order that the securing device, and catching device may have connection with the interlor of the body 5.

The stub arm 6, extends through one of the side walls of the tubular body 5, and

the mouth of the tubular member 5, the same havlng connection with the side walls thereof.

Fig. 2 illustrates a plan View of the same,

Specification of Letters Patent. Patg'nted J 11119 8 1920;. Application filed November 5, 1919. Serial No. 335,839. 7 7

provides means for anchoring one extrm:

' ofthe keeper 12, which is curved as at 13,

to, engage over the pin 14, extending across- Disposedatone end of the tubular body 7 6, andembracing one end thereof, is the collar 15, which collar has extensions16, forming bearings for the pivot pin 17, which pin 17 has connection with the. trea- .dle 18, through the medium of the supporting arm 19, which as, shown is providedwith the cut; out portions 20 and 21, which cut out portions are-adapted to receive one extremity of the keeper 12, wherebythe trap is: set, the keeper 12 being moved :to its set position, against thetension of the, 'coiledspring 7 thus causingthe keeper to frictionally engage the sidewalls of one of the cut o.ut portions 20 01-21, in which the same maybe positioned.

This treadle-18, 1s relatlvely-wide, and is providedwith the springclip 22, disposed adjacent theouter or free end of the treadle, whichv spring clip is constructed to receive a. portion of the catching member 23,

which is in the form of a wire loop, the ends thereof having connection with the link '9,

as at 2 1, so that movement of the link, within the tubular body-,5, causes a relative ,movementof the catching. member 23.,

' The trap, in operation, is staked or otherwise secured a ainst displacement, the flexible element 25, providing means for securing the trap, and as shown, one end of this flexible element has connection with the link 9, adjacent the connection between the link and one end of the coiled spring 7,

the flexible element passing directly through the coils of the spring 7 the opposite end of said flexible element 25, being shown as having connection with the stake 26, by means ofwhich the trap is staked in a predetermined position, however it might be found well to secure the stake 26 to a tree or other permanent fixture.

From the foregoing it' is obvious that a ported'in a position as indicated by Fig. 1.

of the drawing, in which position the trea- I dle is disposed in spaced relation with the ground surface, so that an animal stepping thereon causes the treadle 18 to pivot downwardly, releasing the keeper 12, with the result that the coiled spring 7 contracts, or moves from its expanded position, thus drawing the catching element within the body 5 of the trap, reducing the diameter of said catching element 23, and drawing the portion of the animal caught by the catching element 28, into close engagement with one end of thetubular body 5.

It is now apparent that the strain, of the animal endeavoring to release himself from the catching element 23, will be directed'to the flexible element 25, and to the securing 7 stake 26, thus relieving the coiled spring 7 of the strain ordinarily directed thereto by the efforts of the animal. r e

In order to set the strap, it is necessary to slacken' the flexible element; 25, by moving the body of the trap'toward the securing stake 26, whereupon the catching element 23, is drawn from the tubular body 5, until the-keeper 12 extends beyond the forward end of the body 5, and in a position to' be engaged by'the treadle, or its supporting arm, to permit the keeper 12 to be properly positioned within one. of the notches 20 or 21, j x y In the event that the trap is to be employed for catching relatively small animals, wherein the weight of the animal is insufficient to operate the keeper, when the same is positioned in the cutout portion 20,

the keeper-is of course set in the cut out portion 21, which will permit the trap to operate under less weight;

In operation the trap is preferably set in the path frequentedrby the animal to be ment 23.

Having thus described the invention what claim is 1 1. A trap including a tubular body por-. tion, a coiled spring having one of its ends end thereof, a bar extending transversely across the tubular member adjacent the opposite end thereof, a treadle pivotally connected to the body, akeeper carried by the coiled spring, and engaging over the transversely extending bar for engaging the treadle to hold the same inspaced relation with secured to the body portion adjacent one i the ground surface, means having connecv 7 tion withone end of the coiled spring for relieving the coiled spring of strain, directed thereto, after the trap is sprung, and a catching element operated by the coiled spring.

2. A trap includinga tubular body por- 7 tion, a coiled spring having one of its ends I connectedto the body portion, a treadle pivotally supported adj aoent one end of the body, a keeper carried by one end of the coiled spring and cooperating with the treadle for holding the coiled spring in an expanded position, a catching element including a loop of wire having its ends connected adjacent one end of the coiled spring, said coiled spring adapted to draw the ends of-the when the keeper has been actuated, and

flexible securing element having connection with the catching element. r j

3. A trap including a tubular body, a coiled spring within the tubular body, a catching element controlled by the coiled spring, means for holding the spring in an expanded position, when the trap is set, and means extending through the coiled spring and having connection with the catching element for preventing the release of an animal caught by the catching element.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses. Y

' FELIX H. CRAGO.

Witnesses:

JAMES M. SELF, EDNA E. CoULTER.

catching elements into the body of the trap, 

